It’s no wonder that Australia is a favourite destination for tourists and for people wanting to start a new life abroad. Australia is similar in size to the USA, yet has a population of under 20 million. Or, to put it another way, it’s 32 times larger that the UK, with less than half the number of inhabitants.

Australia is amazingly varied, from the liveliness and energy of cities like Sydney, Perth and Melbourne to the vivid blue skies and red earth of the Outback. The Northern Territory alone has 20 national parks, and then there are World Heritage sites like the Great Barrier Reef and remarkable landscapes like the Border Ranges, comprised of extinct and eroded volcanoes stretching across the borders of Queensland and New South Wales. Most people think of Australia as dry and arid but there are also lush river valleys, rainforests and mountains, not to mention 7,000 unspoilt beaches.

Australians have a deserved reputation for being friendly, gregarious, unpretentious and outspoken. Thanks to shows like Neighbours and Home and Away many of us are now familiar with expressions like g’day, amber nectar and crook, but Strine still takes some getting used to. However, chances are both you and your anklebiters (children) will pick it up in no time!